Celebrating 30 Years of Complexions Contemporary Ballet
published in DANCE Magazine November 20, 2024
by Jennifer Heimlich
A dancer’s long leg reaches skyward as she tilts daringly far off pointe, before launching into a rapid-fire string of intricate steps. Her slinky upper body contrasts with the highly technical classicism of her legs. Her movement has a sense of expansive freedom that’s at once gutsy and elegant.
If this aesthetic sounds familiar, that’s thanks in large part to Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Founded 30 years ago by two former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancers—Dwight Rhoden, then a rising choreographer, and Desmond Richardson, his muse—the company has developed a signature style that’s both immediately recognizable and widely influential. Echoes of it can be seen all over today’s opera houses, competition ballrooms, and TV screens.
Complexions Contemporary Ballet: 30th Anniversary celebrates at the Detroit Opera House on December 7 and 8, 2024
Related Posts
This masterclass/audition will be taught by company members of the Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Class will include Complexions’ NIQUE, their signature contemporary ballet technique combining classical and contemporary vocabulary into a valuable training method for pre-professional dancers. This class is most suitable for intermediate/advanced dancers ages 13 and up. This class is both a masterclass and...
learn More